220 



Scientific Proceedings (115). 



soy bean contains very little carbohydrate and even the small 

 amounts present are used up by the fungus, in the process of de- 

 velopment, for energy purposes, the extract is practically free 

 from sugars and can be introduced into diabetic cookery. 



in (1693) 



Specific immunological reactions of Bence- Jones proteins. 



By S. BAYNE-JONES and D. WRIGHT WILSON. 



[From the Departments of Physiological Chemistry and of Pathology 

 and Bacteriology, Johns Hopkins Medical 

 School, Baltimore, Md.] 



A Bence-Jones protein which crystallized spontaneously from 

 the urine of a patient (R.) at the Mayo Clinic in 1920 furnished 

 material unusually well suited to the investigation of some of 

 the problems associated with Bence-Jones proteinuria. With this 

 specimen of the protein, which was purified by recrystallization, 

 immunological studies were undertaken to discover, if possible, 

 (1) a difference between various specimens of Bence-Jones protein, 

 and (2) a difference between Bence-Jones protein and the proteins 

 of human blood serum. 



In the past, the few immunological studies on Bence-Jones 

 protein have been directed solely toward the differentiation of 

 human serum proteins from Bence-Jones protein. With the ex- 

 ception of Massini (191 1), who was able to show by complement 

 fixation tests specific distinctions between human serum and Bence- 

 Jones protein in different zones of dilution, these investigations 

 have apparently indicated that Bence-Jones protein and human 

 serum proteins are immunologically indistinguishable. As in 

 Abderhalden's (1905) experiment, these results have been attri- 

 butable undoubtedly to the use of mixtures of proteins. Recently, 

 Hektoen (1921) has published a preliminary note on his experi- 

 ments which prove that by the absorption of precipitins specific 

 reactions can be obtained even when mixtures are used, which 

 sharply differentiate Bence-Jones protein from the proteins of 

 human blood serum. 



The work to be reported here was completed before the ap- 

 pearance of Hektoen's paper. 



